1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless and long distance carriers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and information content delivery services/providers and long distance carriers. More particularly, it relates to location services for the wireless industry.
2. Background of Related Art
The Location Interoperability Forum (LIF), the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Forum, and 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) have attempted to define an area trigger via Application Protocol Interfaces (APIs) specific to these groups. This type of service allows a location application to define an area event for a mobile. For example, an area event may be that the target mobile entered or left a pre-defined geographic area, and when the area event occurs, which in turn triggers notification to the relevant application.
Currently 3GPP is modifying the location service specification 23.271 regarding area event location services. 3GPP recommends a mobile-based solution. In this scenario, a pre-defined area event will be downloaded to the mobile, and it is the target mobile that detects whether the area event occurs. It is expected that the visited Gateway Mobile Location Center will translate a pre-defined geographic area to the corresponding network identities, e.g., cells, location areas, etc. Because of this, there is a problem in handling a pre-defined target area when the currently visited network does not provide coverage for the target area. Since the Visited-Gateway Mobile Location Center does not know the target area, it will reject such a request. This will downgrade the service for roaming scenarios support.
Conventionally, the Home Gateway Mobile Location Center may reject the deferred area event location service when the visited Gateway Mobile Location Center informs that the predefined target area is not in it's service coverage. Or, as an option, the Home Gateway Mobile Location Center may modify the original area event to occur when the target mobile leaves the current serving Public Land Mobile Network. The Home Gateway Mobile Location Center then re-sends the original area event request to the new visited GMLC. If it fails again (e.g., if the new visited network still does not cover the target area), this procedure will repeat.
Unfortunately, particularly with respect to the second option, if the mobile is on the boundary between two networks, the Home Gateway Mobile Location Center will generate a significant amount of traffic.
Thus, conventional area event handling systems are disadvantageous because they are inefficient, limiting the relevant service, and as a result may cause rejection of the deferred area event location service in roaming scenarios.